Nwa-afo Igbo

         IGBO PROVERBS

           

                   Proverb is the oil with which words are eaten in the Igbo Language. Thus, speaking without proverbs in Igbo is like eating a meal cooked without oil. 

    Unfortunately,  most Igbo find it difficult to make a complete sentence in Igbo language without mixing it up with other languages, how much more adding proverbs to their speechs. And

Marriage in Igbo land

our fathers say that when you make a proverb for man and have to explain the proverb for him, it means that the dowry paid on the man's mother's head is a waste. In simple terms, such a man is an ofeke.

    

    For my brothers who sincerely wish to learn Igbo proverbs, here is a few of them.

         Okenye anaghi ano n’ulo ewu amua nwa na-ogbiri

2.       Ihe okenye no na-ala hu, nwata ria elu ogaghi ahu ya

3.       Nwata kwochaa aka, osoro okenye rie nri

4.       Nwata etoghi eto wara ogodo, ikuku buru ya, o buru ogodo ya

5.       Ofeke amaghi mgbe e kere nku ukwa

6.       Okokporo gbachaa elu gbachaa ala, ntu ututu na-eche ya

7.       Ana-agwa nti ma onughi, egbupu isi, nti esobe ya

8.       Nwata hu ogu egboro-egbo osi ka ogu kpo ya ihu

9.       Akwaa nwa-agadi nwanyi ajo aka, ajo mkpu apu ya n’onu

10.   Ekwughi-ekwu mere okenye, ekwue anughi mere nwata

11.   Anapu okuko kwom, gini ka o ga-eji zuo umu ya?

12.   Nwata kwuru oto gwujie ji, onodu ala gwuputa odu ya

13.   Onye na-anoghi ebe elirir ozu na-esi n’okpa avo ya

14.   Eburu ozu onye-ozo odi ka ebu ukwu nku

15.   Mmiri ebughi ogwe na-uje, a gaghi ebu ya na-ula

16.   Onye na-amaghi ebe mmiri bidoro maba ya anaghi ama ebe okwusiri

17.   Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’ili

18.   Ana-esi na eju ama okuko ga-abu oke

19.   Ubuchi ndi abughi ahia, ha anaghi azu eke umundi-mmuo.

20.   Ato na nwata, oka ndi-iro mma.

21.   Anu na-enweghi odu, ji ya na-achuru ya ijiji.

22.   Ugbogiri gbara m, ya gbakwara nwunyedi mu.

23.   Egbe bere, ugo bere, nke si ibe ya ebela nku kwaa ya.

24.   Onodu ugo anaghi adi egbe mma.

25.   Ube jichaa, odibara uguru.

26.   Okuko adighi ebe akwa ka ihe ji ya hapu ya, kama obu ka elu na ala nuru onu ya.

27.   Mmiri zochaa amara ka okpa okuko ra.

28.   Nwa dibia wakwachaa ogodo ya, owere wakwaa akpa afia ya.

29.   Ekwe-ekwe na-ekwe n’uta ekwere.

30.   Okwa si umu ya onye turu ji, ya turu mgborogwu, onye new ji gwuru ji ya ha aturiba mgborogwu.

31.   Egwu anaghi atu afo owee buru uzo.

32.   Anyukoo nwamiri onu o gbaa ufufu.

33.   Nkita richaa nsi eze erebe aturu.

34.   Nkita si na ndi nwere ike amaghi ano onodu.

35.   Onye rere enwe gota nkita ihe ntukwu ka no be ya.

36.   Ngwere nile mmakpu mmakpu, ejighi ya ama nke isi na-awa na nke afo na-aru.

37.   Gbata gbata anaghi ako be ogo ngwere.

38.   Ehi si na obu nsopuru ka ji-eso onye nwe ya.

39.   Agwo adighi ahapu umu nwa ogologo.

40.   Ihe na-ahughi n’ikpu nne ewu, ahu ya na nke nwaya oburu aru.

41.   Osisi na-abu o mia mkpuru mmadu anwuo, oka mma ka egbue ya mgbe obidoro haba ifuru.

42.   Arusi na-eri asaa, inye ya asato oju.

43.   Ire ka eji agu eze onu.

44.   Ana-esi n’odu ama ihe di nkita mma.

45.   Okwa sin a onye ya riri ji ya kotakarichara.

46.   Onye umunna ya gburu adighi agba obara.

47.   Out-onye siere oha, ha erichaa, ma oha siere ya ogaghi ericha.

48.   Obu osisi ka-asi na aga-egbu okwuru.

49.   Ihe noro utara arachaala ofe.

50.   Onye bu igu ka ewu na-eso.

Okey Emmanuel